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Sunday, August 30, 2015

International
Association of Media Tie-In Writers

Hi, I hope you don’t
mind, but I’d like to share some great news with you, as I recently discovered I
qualified to join the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.

What is a Tie-In
writer?

This excerpt from the
IAMTW site will help explain:

What is a Tie-In Writer?

We write science fiction, westerns,
mysteries, romance and thrillers and sometimes all of the above. Our work
embraces just about every genre you can think of, from STAR TREK to CSI, from
GUNSMOKE to MURDER SHE WROTE, from DUNE to James Bond, from RESIDENT EVIL to
Hannah Montana.

Our books are original tie-in novels,
comic books and short stories based on existing characters from movie, TV
series, books, games, and cartoons... or they are novelizations (books based on
screenplays for movies and TV shows).

Tie-ins and novelizations are a
licensed works... meaning they are written with the permission and supervision
of the creators, studios, or other rights-holders of the original characters.

Our books are published by the major
publishing companies, are available everywhere, sell tens of millions of copies
worldwide and regularly appear on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers
Weekly bestseller lists... but the actual craft of tie-in writing goes largely
unrecognized and is greatly misunderstood.

The International Association of Media
Tie-In Writers will change all that.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

The IX

An Unexplained Mystery No More

"The disappearance of Rome's Ninth Legion has long baffled historians, but could a brutal ambush have been the event that forged the England-Scotland border?"

asks archaeologist Dr. Miles Russell of Bournemouth University, UK.

Have you ever pondered that question?

What on earth could have happened to one of the most efficient fighting forces ever to exist?

A legion was a mighty edifice. More than 5000 strong, they were a self-contained mini civilization on the march, capable of building an entire fortification at the end of every days march in which to sleep soundly.

And yet, the Ninth marched into the swirling mists of Caledonia, circa AD100 - 120

(estimates vary - which is an enigma in itself)

and were never seen again.

**********************

Well, wonder no more

Roman legionnaires, far from home, lost in the mists
of Caledonia.

AUS cavalry
company, engaged on a special mission, vital to the peace treaty proposed by
Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln.

A twenty-first century Special Forces unit,
desperate to prevent a nuclear catastrophe.

From vastly different backgrounds, these soldiers
are united when they are snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing.
Thinking they may have been granted a reprieve, imagine their horror when they
discover they have been transported to a failing planet on the far side of the
galaxy, where they are given a simple ultimatum. Fight or die. Against all
odds, this group of misfits manages to turn the tide against a relentless foe,
only to discover the true cost of victory might exact a price they are
unwilling to pay.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

What
could unite a Roman Legion and the Caledonian army they are fighting?

Or
a US Cavalry Company with the Native American tribes arrayed against them?

How
about a highly trained and motivated Special Forces unit and the terrorists
they have been sent to wipe out at all costs?

Yes…

What
could such a diverse and mutually aggressive group possibly have in common?

Arden – and the Horde, that’s what!

Arden, home to a
culture that has existed for thousands of years and which spans dozens of
worlds. Regardless, their sophistication cannot prevent calamity at the hands
of an unstoppable nemesis. Known only as the Horde, this enemy has proven
relentless. They have not only stripped the outer colonies bare, but now
threaten the existence of the entire Ardenese way of life.

Realizing there is
nothing they can do to prevent the inevitable march toward extinction, the
Ardenese governing body comes to a drastic decision. They gather together at
their capital city, Rhomane, and place their remaining genetic heritage in a
vast underground ark, in the care of an advanced AI construct called the
Architect. Its
mission? To use Rhomane’s dwindling reserves and safeguardtheir race by
reaching out across time and space toward those whomight be in a
position to help reseed a devastated world at some timein the future.

That’s how soldiers
from varying eras and vastly different backgrounds find themselves together.
Snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing they are transported to
the far side of the galaxy. Thinking they have been granted a reprieve, their
relief turns to horror when they discover they face a simple but stark
ultimatum:

Put aside your former
animosities and preconceptions in order to survive.

Fight or
die!

How does this group
of mismatched and antagonistic misfits fare? Do they survive?

Chris
and Janet Morris from Perseid Press will be there at their very own stall with
many of the titles you know and love. What’s more, to celebrate that fact,
they’ll be running a little IX Based
Competition.

In
line with that “Ninth Theme” – the 9th, 19th, 29th
– and so forth customer to stop at the Perseid Press booth to make an actual purchase
of The IX, will receive a
FREE copy of that very book.

And it gets better...

There’s
also a Magic Word competition.

The first person to come to the stall and
say the magic word or phrase will
also receive a FREE copy of the IX (No purchase necessary).

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

The IX - Still Topping the Goodreads Charts

Now seven months in, and The IX is still maintaining its slot at the top of nearly a dozen Goodreads preference lists.

This is no fluke, as it also appears within the top five of a dozen more.

Interested?

What could unite a Roman Legion and the Caledonian army they are fighting?

Or a US Cavalry Company with the Native American tribes arrayed against them?

How about a highly trained and motivated Special Forces unit and the terrorists they have been sent to wipe out at all costs?

Yes…

What could such a diverse and mutually aggressive group possibly have in common?

Arden – and the Horde, that’s what!

Arden, home to a culture that has existed for thousands of years and which spans dozens of worlds. Regardless, their sophistication cannot prevent calamity at the hands of an unstoppable nemesis. Known only as the Horde, this enemy has proven relentless. They have not only stripped the outer colonies bare, but now threaten the existence of the entire Ardenese way of life.

Realizing there is nothing they can do to prevent the inevitable march toward extinction, the Ardenese governing body comes to a drastic decision. They gather together at their capital city, Rhomane, and place their remaining genetic heritage in a vast underground ark, in the care of an advanced AI construct called the Architect. Its mission? To use Rhomane’s dwindling reserves and safeguardtheir race by reaching out across time and space toward those whomight be in a position to help reseed a devastated world at some timein the future.

That’s how soldiers from varying eras and vastly different backgrounds find themselves together. Snatched away from Earth at the moment of their passing they are transported to the far side of the galaxy. Thinking they have been granted a reprieve, their relief turns to horror when they discover they face a simple but stark ultimatum:

Put aside your former animosities and preconceptions in order to survive.

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Do you
crave the stimulus of an epic that crosses genre boundaries whilst tackling the
challenges of alternative history?

If so, you
might like to avail yourself of the #1 international
bestseller - The IX, a pleasing blend of historical fact and fiction,
metaphysics and theoretical science that crosses genre boundaries and is taking
the world of speculative fiction by storm.

Just look
at what readers and reviewers are saying about The IX

**********

This
Dark Matter

The author’s knowledge of military history and his
speculations about what might have happened to the legendary Ninth Roman Legion
have led to an amazing trip through time and space to a world where things are
not ever as straight-forward as they seem.

Black
Gate Fantasy

The IX has taken me back to the books I enjoyed
in my youth (Jerry Pournelle's King David's Spaceship or Gordon Dickson's Hour
of the Horde) It flows wonderfully. There's constant motion,& Weston takes
the story in unexpected directions that are intriguing & fun.
If you're in need of some fast-paced storytelling, lots of action, &
an army of characters drawn from Earth's past and future, The IX should serve
you well.

Geeks
in High School

What is astounding to me is with so many characters and
multiple threads of characterizations and historically important behavior and
linguistics, I never, ever felt lost or confused. I am officially blown the
hell away.

The
Forbidden Fruit

Weston’s The IX is a masterful combination of blissfully
minimalistic writing and the advanced complexity of a superb science fiction
novel, indicative of Brandon Sanderson’s Steelheart and James Dashner’s The
Maze Runner. Instead of forty pages of waiting for the characters to figure out
what we already know, we get a solid few that imparts upon us the same amount
of affection and pride for our characters - without frustrating us to the point
of skipping to ‘get to the good part.’ With Weston’s writing, the whole novel
is the good part. The pace moves rapidly, with the intelligent dialogue and
well-choreographed action allowing us to progress with the plot while also
connecting us with the characters.

Readers:

A
brilliant and amazing synthesis of military, horror and far-future science
fiction

**

THE IX is a fast-paced historical military science fiction
adventure in the grand tradition of Robert A. Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Gordon
R. Dickson, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Janet Morris, and Joe Haldeman.
Old-school science fiction with a 21st century sensibility.

**I gotta say, The IX fascinated me. What a great way to
explain the disappearance of thousands. And what a world the author built.The plot for The IX is mind blowing. The author gives you
many sub plots, plenty of history, and an amazing world to explore. He was able
to make this all flow easily. You’ll fly through this in to time.

The writing is superb. Ever read a book and see the
entire story play out like on the big screen. Except for not being too sure
what those nasty Kresh looked like, I could see this in vivid color and detail.
Imagination is a wonderful thing, as is this author’s talent.

**

Action takes the fore in this adventure which encompasses
military, historical, science fiction and fantasy. The characters are varied,
at once both complex and simplistic, and often surprising. Death stalks the
pages, but his companions are loyalty, courage and dignity. Well written with
twists and turns, and a rather unexpected ending.

**

Within the first few pages, I understood why everyone is
talking about the IX, a technical balance of history and a future so
imaginative, it's almost like magic.

**

A fun and enjoyable read! The concept is unique, and the
book is clear, well paced and extremely visual. Weston has an excellent grip on
both history and military strategy, and I enjoyed seeing both come together as
well as they did. If you are a fan of fantasy, military history, this story is
well worth your time. I would absolutely recommend it.

**

This book contains it all; military history, science
fiction, heroes, warriors, adventure. The IX is deep, thought provoking and
insightful Weston is a gifted story teller and has a fabulous career ahead of
him. The world he created was described in such as way it felt real and like I
was right there in it. Bravo.

**********

These are just a few of the comments that The IX has
amassed.

If you like your science fiction fast paced and gritty, full of realistic
action and dark humor in the face of overwhelming odds, then The IX is
definitely the epic for you.

Fans of Julian May’s “Saga of the Pliocene Exiles,” Robert Heinlein’s
“Have Space Suit, Will Travel”, and Jerry Pournelle's “Janissaries Series” will
love this tale. It combines the divergent elements of the past, present, and
future, and blends them together into a slick and stylish package that will
leave you breathless and hungry for more.

My latest Blog for Astronaut.com

My Latest Blog For Amazing Stories

The World of The IX Series

About Me

I am a Royal Marine and Police veteran from the UK who now lives on the beautiful Greek island of Kos with my wife, Annette, and our growing family of rescue cats.
As creator of the critically acclaimed IX Series, and Hell Bound & Hell Hounds, (novels forming part of Janet Morris' Heroes in Hell universe), I also have the privilege of being a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the British Fantasy Society, and the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers.
When not working, I devote some of my spare time to assisting NASA with one of their remote research projects, and supporting charities. I also write educational articles for Astronaut.com and Amazing Stories.
On weekends, you might also find me drinking Earl Grey Tea whilst dressed as Captain Jean Luc Picard.
Make it so...
If you would like to find out more, just follow the links at the top of the page.

The Future of Science Fiction

The IX Series

The Senate & The People of Rome

The IX

International #1 Bestseller

The IX

The IX, an epic novel spanning past, present, and future:The ultimatum:Fight or die.Roman legionnaires, far from home, lost in the mists of Caledonia; a US cavalry company on a special mission for Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln; and a Special Forces unit from the 21st century, desperate to prevent nuclear catastrophe:Snatched away from Earth at the moment of death to a failing planet far away, these misfit soldiers must unite against a relentless foe, where the cost of victory may be more than they're willing to pay. How far will they go to stay alive?From Perseid Press.

Exordium of Tears

Book 2 of The IX Series

Exordium of Tears

Fight or die.That simple yet brutal reality is the tenet by which the refugees from Earth – including the fabled lost 9th Legion of Rome; the 5th Company, 2nd Mounted Cavalry Unit; and the Special Forces Anti-Terrorist Team – were forced to live by while the Horde menace existed. Believing that the threat is over, thesurvivors now yearn to settle down, start families, and reclaim the lives stolen from them.But such aspirations might remain beyond their reach, for a shadow looms on the rose-tinted horizon of new beginnings.The release of the re-genesis matrix has done much to foster a restoration of exuberance across Arden. Along with a resurgence in floral and faunal diversity comes the results of splicing the Ardenese and human genomes: transmutation. Ametamorphosis of stunning magnitude that not only affects the living, but those still is stasis as well.Recognizing the emergence of a new hybrid species, the Architect – the arcane AI construct tasked with the preservation of the Ardenese race – responds by unlockingpreviously hidden and inaccessible areas of the city. It also releases an archive of sealed state secrets. Such revelations are eagerly perused, whereupon a shocking discovery is made.Prior to the fall, it was common knowledge amongst the Senatum (the highest levels of Arden’s government) that not all the rabid Horde had joined in the rampage across the stars toward Arden.Realizing that the peril still exists, the newly reformed administration elects to respond in earnest. Existing resources are utilized, suitable candidates are chosen, and a flotilla of ships is sent out to secure, quarantine, and reclaim the outer colonies. A mammoth and hazardous undertaking. And nowhere more so than at the planet from where the outbreak was known to have originated – Exordium – for there, the ancient Horde are not only supremely evolved and highly organized, but are capable of a level of lethal sophistication, the likes of which has never been witnessed before.It is into this kiln of incendiary potential that the cream of Arden’s fighting forces is deployed.Worlds are torn asunder, suns destroyed, and star systems obliterated. Yes, tragedy is forged, in a universe spanning conflict which proves once again that…

Death is onlythe beginning of the adventure.

Prelude to Sorrow

The IX Series

Prelude to Sorrow

The task force dispatched from Arden to eradicate the Horde menace failed, and for those few left alive, the tenet by which they have survived for so long resounds as never before.

Fight or Die!

Now marooned, out of time and out of place, the survivors lick their wounds and struggle to recover while the Horde gather their strength for a final strike that will change the course of history forever. The fate of the galaxy – and more – hangs in the balance.

But fate, it seems, isn’t done with the Ninth, and our heroes find themselves forced to mount a last-ditch attempt to end the threat once and for all.

Will the darkness be vanquished, or will our heroes’ efforts finally signal the beginning of the end of their adventure?

The Glorious Ninth

Fight or Die!

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Condensed insanity for your pleasure

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Fire Asylum Business

Fire Asylum Admissions

Welcome to the Fire Asylum. This is truly a safe place for what the world contends is insane behavior. The activities here are specifically designed with the firefighter in mind. Your training here, or treatment, may seem tough and challenging. Remember that it is for your own good. Here are a few words from our director of activities to inspire your stay.

"In our silent crucible, we are tested by fire. In that place where life can and does change forever, peace is given like a gift to the ones who have endured."

Hell Bound

International #1 Bestseller

Hell Bound

In hell, none of the condemned believes they deserve to be there. And that’s fine, so long as they’re not foolish enough to try and do anything about it. For those that do, there’s always Satan’s Reaper–and chief bounty hunter–Daemon Grim.Feared throughout the many layers of the underverse, no one in their right mind dares to cross him.However, when Grim discovers that someone has attempted to evade injustice, and seems hell-bent on gaining access to ancient angelic artifacts proscribed since the time of the original rebellion in heaven, circumstances point to the fact they may be doing just that.The question is...why?Thus begins an investigation that leads Grim throughout the many contradictory and baffling levels of the underworld, where he unearths a conspiracy that is not only eating its way like a cancer through the highest echelons of Hellion society,but one which threatens the very stability of Satan’s rule.

As you can imagine, Grim’s response is bloody, brutal, and despicably wicked.

Pieces of Hate******************It's sink or swim in this swashbuckling adventure where Daemon Grim, Satan's Reaper, is sent on a quest to recover booty of great value to His Infernal Majesty.But what lurks at the center of Skull Island? Is it truly treasure, or will there be fools gold aplenty in a tale that proves once and for all that, when it comes to burying something in your chest, blood money is the only currency the Reaper recognizes.

Hell Hounds

Coming October 31st

Hell Hounds

Feared throughout the many circles of the underworld, Satan’s Reaper – and chief bounty hunter – Daemon Grim, is known as a true force to be reckoned with.

Having eliminated a major player in the uprising eating its way like a cancer through the underbelly of hell, Grim is stunned to discover he cannot afford to rest on his laurels, for the rebellion runs far deeper than was ever imagined. New players have emerged – denizens with uncanny abilities – who seem determined to support Chopin and Tesla’s revolutionary agenda.

Ever keen to test their mettle, the Sibitti – personified weapons of the ancient Babylonian plague god, Erra – also appear eager to capitalize on the growing unrest, and set about maneuvering events in order to place themselves in direct opposition to Grim’s investigation.

And if that was not cause for concern enough, there’s an insane angel on the loose, a creature as hell-bent on creating havoc as he is to return home.

How do Grim and his rabid pack of bounty hunters respond?

Baying for blood – doesn’t even begin to describe it.

The Perseid Press

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Amazing Stories

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Other Works

You can find more of my work in the following magazines or publications.